Popular Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu has died at the age of 48, her family confirmed on Feb 3.

The star, who was perhaps best known for being the leading lady of seminal hit Taiwanese idol drama Meteor Garden (2001) and its sequel the following year, succumbed to influenza-related pneumonia while on vacation with her family in Japan over the recent Chinese New Year period.

The news has left the Taiwanese entertainment industry and Hsu’s legions of fans reeling.

Here are 10 things to know about the late actress’ life, which often skewed more dramatic than fiction.

1. Rise to fame as Big S in the 1990s

Hsu first became known to the public in 1994 as part of the pop duo SOS with her younger sister, TV host Dee Hsu. The group name stood for Sisters Of Shu (an alternative way to write their surname Hsu), which gave the pair their respective stage names of Big S and Little S. They later changed their SOS to ASOS due to contractual disputes.

The sisters, who were both high-schoolers studying at Taiwan’s Hwa Kang Arts School at the time of their debut, were known for cheery bubblegum love songs like Ten Minutes Of Love (1995).

But their singing career was eventually overshadowed by other pursuits, as their quirky personalities and quick wit helped to pivot them to TV hosting.

2. Early hosts of Guess Guess Guess

While the long-running variety series Guess Guess Guess (1996 to 2011) may be most associated with its veteran Taiwanese host Jacky Wu, Hsu is actually one of three original hosts who predate Wu.

The Hsu sisters were the first hosts the programme had when it premiered in 1996, alongside late Taiwanese actor Lung Shao-hua, who died in 2021. Lung left the show in 1998, which was when Wu came in to co-present. The sisters hosted alongside Wu until 2000, when they both left the show.

Barbie and Dee Hsu are also often credited for making the entertainment programme 100% Entertainment (1997 to 2024) popular. They began hosting it in 1998, though Barbie Hsu left the show in 2005, with her younger sister following suit in 2006.

3. Meeting her first and final love Koo Jun-yup

100% Entertainment was where Hsu first met wi...